Good morning, friends.
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Welcome again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to
welcome our online members
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and our friends
who are joining us
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across the country
and around the world
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on various television networks.
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And again we would also like
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to welcome our
regular Sabbath School members
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that are here in
person as well as those
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who are visiting with us.
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Always a joy to see
you week after week,
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here you are to
study the lesson together.
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Now few weeks ago,
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we started new series
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dealing with the
subject of the family.
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Our lesson quarterly is
entitled Family Seasons.
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And today we're
looking at lesson number six,
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entitled, "The Royal Love Song."
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You can guess where
our topic of scriptures
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gonna be based upon that title.
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Probably,
you're gonna be looking
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at the Song of Solomon,
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but we'll get to that
in just a few minutes.
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We'd like to let
our friends know,
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those who are joining us online,
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we do have a free offer.
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It's entitled
"Determining the Will of God."
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And we'll be happy
to send you this book.
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All you need to
do is give us a call
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and ask for it.
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The number is 866-788-3966
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and you can ask
for offer number 778.
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We'll be happy to
send this book out
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to anyone who calls and asks
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or if you're
outside of North America,
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you can download
for free this book
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by just simply
texting the code "SH025"
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to the number 40544.
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You'll then get a link
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where you'll be
able to download the book
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"Determining the Will of God."
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And I think it'll be a blessing,
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if you wanting to
know what God's will
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is for your life.
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There are some
good biblical principles
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that will help you
in making decisions
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that are in
harmony with His will.
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Well, before we get to
our study this morning,
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we like to begin by
lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to invite
our song leaders to come
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and they will
lead us in our music.
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Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven,
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we thank You that we
have this opportunity
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to gather in Your
house and open up Your Word
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and study a very important topic
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dealing with the family.
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The Bible tells
us that God is love
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and it's Your desire, Lord,
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that we'll reflect
Your love to those around us
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and in a special way
to our family members.
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So we ask Your special blessing
on our study time this morning.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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This morning, our lesson
is gonna be brought to us
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by our Family Life Pastor
here at the Granite Bay Church,
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Pastor Shawn Brummund.
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Well, good morning, everyone.
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Good morning.
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It's good to see you
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and it's good to
hear a good morning
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from you as well.
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It is a beautiful morning.
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Of course, it is
a very special day
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as we come together
during our Sabbath School time
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and we continue
to study the Bible,
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continue to grow as Christians
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and continue to grow in
the knowledge of the truth.
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Now, this particular study
is a very interesting study.
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It's very unique
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because we're looking at
one of the most unique books
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that we can find
in all the Bible.
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How many here have
read the Song of Solomon?
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How many hands?
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Okay, I see
several hands going up.
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How many have not
read the Song of Solomon?
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Go ahead, put your hand up.
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If you haven't, that's okay.
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Okay, so we have a couple
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that haven't read
the Song of Solomon.
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All right, so this is
your first introduction,
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perhaps to the Song of Solomon.
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If you haven't gone
through the quarterly study
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throughout the
week, then this for sure
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will be your introduction
to the Song of Solomon.
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And you're gonna
find out very quickly
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why this is such a unique song
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and book in the Bible.
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And so, before I say too much,
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I just want to introduce
us to the actual lesson study
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and go to page 46.
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Because on page
46, we find there
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the memory text
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and I think that the
memory text really...
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I'm gonna use that as a closing
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if we have time.
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And look at the verse
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that comes after
this particular verse
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as well.
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But this really
is an important verse
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in the whole book.
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And it's found in
the last chapter, 8:6.
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It says, let me...
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"Set me," I should say,
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"as a seal upon your heart,
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as a seal upon your arm,
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for love is as strong as death,
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jealousy is as
cruel as the grave,
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its flames are flames of fire,
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a most vehement flame."
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And so, of course,
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this is called
the Song of Solomon.
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Now, some of your translations
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and editions of your Bible
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may actually
called the Song of Songs.
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And traditionally
both of those titles
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have been used by
different Christians,
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by different Bible printers.
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And both are
accurate in the fact
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that Solomon is
referred to more than once
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throughout the actual
song and he is the groom,
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so he plays the role of a groom
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or a new husband.
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And then, of course,
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so we can rightly
call it the Song of Solomon
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because it's also believed
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that Solomon was
the inspired author
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of this particular book.
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The Song of
Songs is also a title
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that is fitting
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because it is kind of
the song of all songs.
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It's one of the longest songs
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that you can find in
all the Bible by far.
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It is a unique song
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and the fact that it
is a very romantic song.
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Today, we would
call it a love song.
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In fact, the
authors of our title
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called it the Royal Love Song.
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Anybody ever
heard a love song before
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outside of the Song of Solomon?
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Okay, many of us
have, haven't we?
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Love songs are
as old as the sun.
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Was the Song of Solomon
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the first love
song that was ever sung,
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that was ever written?
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Well, not likely.
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Okay, now Solomon
lived around 900 to 950 BC.
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And so we go back
quite a ways before we come
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to this particular
inspired love song,
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but not very likely
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that that was
the first love song
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ever written.
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Now I have to confess
I never did any research.
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I never looked and kind of dug
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and saw what history tells us.
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But you know, if
I was a betting man,
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which I'm not, I
would put all my money
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on the fact that there
were many, many love songs
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that were written
before the Song of Solomon
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was written.
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There been
quite a few love songs
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that have been written
since the Song of Solomon.
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There's been hundred
thousands and thousands
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and maybe even in the millions,
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if we were to
look across all nations
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since 900 BC
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or over the last
approximate 300 or 3000 years.
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Love songs is of
the most popular genres
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of music and
songs that you can find.
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There's just
something about a love song
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that reaches the heart
of millions and billions
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of men and women
throughout history.
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And if it's written right,
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certainly it is something
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that can be a blessing
and inspiration for us.
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Love songs are still
the best sellers today.
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If you were to
look at the top 10
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of the best charts
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and the hits of our
popular radio stations today
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here in America,
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you can be bound
to find at least five,
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probably more,
over half of those
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will be some kind of love theme
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to the actual lyric in song.
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And so love songs are
still bestsellers today
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and not just in
country music either,
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you know, when you
look at your pop music
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and the pop culture
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that we find in the music today,
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you'll find all kinds of
love songs there as well.
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Now sadly,
00:10:01.33\00:10:02.43
just like
country music love songs,
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if you look into the pop scene
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and you look into
these other music genres
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and industry and so on,
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the vast majority of
them failed miserably
00:10:09.94\00:10:13.98
in regards to the love song
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that God has inspired
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and the love
that God would desire
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to be found
between a man and a woman,
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between a groom, a
bride, between a husband,
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and between a wife,
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and so love songs
can be a beautiful thing.
00:10:27.76\00:10:30.53
In fact, it's
such a beautiful thing
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that God had
inspired the Prophet Solomon
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to write an entire Bible book,
00:10:35.60\00:10:37.67
a whole long song on love.
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And, of course, when
we talk about love songs,
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we're talking about
love that takes place
00:10:43.81\00:10:45.51
between a man and woman.
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There's just
something that touches the heart
00:10:46.88\00:10:48.24
about a love story.
00:10:48.28\00:10:50.15
And a love song
quite often will reflect
00:10:50.18\00:10:52.41
that love story.
00:10:52.45\00:10:54.32
Now, historically,
00:10:54.35\00:10:55.45
the Song of Solomon is a song
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that has been quite
controversial over the years,
00:10:57.85\00:11:01.19
over the centuries,
00:11:01.22\00:11:02.36
over the millennia,
00:11:02.39\00:11:04.26
especially during
the Christian era.
00:11:04.29\00:11:06.53
And so it's an
interesting thing,
00:11:06.56\00:11:08.56
when you look back
in Christian history,
00:11:08.60\00:11:10.23
you'll find that
there have been times
00:11:10.27\00:11:11.77
when different church
organizations locally,
00:11:11.80\00:11:14.27
denominationally,
00:11:14.30\00:11:15.84
individually as
Christians have banned
00:11:15.87\00:11:18.27
the Song of Solomon,
00:11:18.31\00:11:20.01
that was a forbidden book
to be read by its members.
00:11:20.04\00:11:23.38
Some have referred to
it as the R rated book
00:11:23.41\00:11:27.25
that we find in the Bible.
00:11:27.28\00:11:30.22
And so we asked
the question, why?
00:11:30.25\00:11:33.25
Why has it been banned?
Why is it been forbidden?
00:11:33.29\00:11:34.89
Why is it referred to
sometimes as the R rated book
00:11:34.92\00:11:37.46
of the Bible?
00:11:37.49\00:11:39.19
Well, it's
probably due to the fact
00:11:39.23\00:11:40.46
that even today,
00:11:40.50\00:11:41.80
there are more than one
mainstream radio station
00:11:41.83\00:11:44.03
that would kind of hesitate
00:11:44.07\00:11:46.07
to air all the
lyrics that are found
00:11:46.10\00:11:49.34
in the Song of Solomon.
00:11:49.37\00:11:50.77
If you were to come
up with some new tune
00:11:50.81\00:11:53.41
and record a well sung version
00:11:53.44\00:11:56.68
of the Song of Solomon,
00:11:56.71\00:11:57.75
bring it to a
local radio station.
00:11:57.78\00:11:59.28
Most of them
would probably hesitate,
00:11:59.31\00:12:00.62
say, you know, "I'm not
sure if this is going to fly.
00:12:00.65\00:12:04.39
I'm not sure if this
is family friendly enough
00:12:04.42\00:12:06.96
for all of my,
our viewing audience."
00:12:06.99\00:12:11.13
And so the response
00:12:11.16\00:12:14.30
of more than one Christian
or Christian denomination
00:12:14.30\00:12:17.93
has sometimes
hesitated to promote
00:12:17.97\00:12:21.24
the Song of Solomon.
00:12:21.27\00:12:23.41
And yet, as Bible
Christians, of course,
00:12:23.44\00:12:25.21
we understand that this is part
of the sacred text of the Bible
00:12:25.24\00:12:28.54
that God had inspired it,
00:12:28.58\00:12:29.68
that the Holy Spirit
was responsible for it.
00:12:29.71\00:12:31.88
He had chosen a prophet,
00:12:31.91\00:12:32.98
in this case,
the Prophet Solomon.
00:12:33.01\00:12:34.62
And He said, I want you to
write about your experience
00:12:34.65\00:12:37.52
in this first love experience,
00:12:37.55\00:12:39.75
and marriage
experience, a wedding experience
00:12:39.79\00:12:41.96
that Solomon had experienced.
00:12:41.99\00:12:44.83
And so God says,
00:12:44.86\00:12:45.86
"I want you to put it down
00:12:45.89\00:12:46.93
in a very
beautiful and poetic text,
00:12:46.96\00:12:50.57
and I want you to tell the world
00:12:50.60\00:12:51.80
and I want you to
tell all of my children,"
00:12:51.83\00:12:53.54
God told Solomon,
00:12:53.57\00:12:54.84
"what romance truly is
intended to look like."
00:12:54.87\00:12:58.74
And so that's what
makes the Song of Solomon
00:12:58.77\00:13:01.44
a very important book.
00:13:01.48\00:13:02.64
Now, I have to confess
00:13:02.68\00:13:03.95
that there are
certain portions of the Bible
00:13:03.98\00:13:05.58
not only in the Song of Solomon
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.12
but other portions
of the Bible as well
00:13:07.15\00:13:09.25
that I would have to rate as PG.
00:13:09.28\00:13:11.62
Everybody know what PG means?
00:13:11.65\00:13:14.66
PG stands for parental guidance.
00:13:14.69\00:13:16.56
And, of course, the
entertainment industry
00:13:16.59\00:13:17.89
came up with that term
00:13:17.93\00:13:18.93
as they were trying to
determine how do we rate
00:13:18.96\00:13:22.93
different movies or
TV programs and so on,
00:13:22.96\00:13:26.03
so that parents
can make decisions
00:13:26.07\00:13:28.50
on what is appropriate
00:13:28.54\00:13:30.24
for their
younger children to watch
00:13:30.27\00:13:32.54
and what is not appropriate.
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.01
Now, of course, as Christians,
there is a number of things
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.18
that are not
appropriate for any age,
00:13:36.21\00:13:38.21
and so I'm thankful
for some of those ratings
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.92
for that regard as well.
00:13:40.95\00:13:42.82
But this particular
book of the Bible is one
00:13:42.85\00:13:44.95
that I would have to rate as PG,
00:13:44.99\00:13:47.72
or perhaps PG 13,
00:13:47.76\00:13:50.93
you know, and some of
us might even put it up
00:13:50.96\00:13:53.50
near the R rated version.
00:13:53.53\00:13:55.76
So that being said,
00:13:55.80\00:13:57.53
you know, when I had
raised our daughters,
00:13:57.57\00:14:00.94
you know, one of the pleasures
00:14:00.97\00:14:02.67
that I had was be
able to take my children
00:14:02.70\00:14:04.84
at night at times
and when it was my turn
00:14:04.87\00:14:07.18
to be able to take one
of our daughters into bed,
00:14:07.21\00:14:10.38
in their first growing years,
00:14:10.41\00:14:12.25
I would read the Bible,
00:14:12.28\00:14:13.58
verse by verse to them
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.05
as part of our
tuck in devotional time.
00:14:15.08\00:14:17.19
And as a result of that,
00:14:17.22\00:14:18.25
by the time they got
into their early teens,
00:14:18.29\00:14:19.99
they had been exposed to
every verse of the Bible.
00:14:20.02\00:14:22.39
And I wanna highly recommend
00:14:22.42\00:14:23.59
that you do that with
your children as well.
00:14:23.63\00:14:26.56
Now when I say every verse,
00:14:26.59\00:14:27.86
I have to kind of
qualify that a little bit,
00:14:27.86\00:14:30.17
because the fact of the matter
00:14:30.20\00:14:31.30
is that there
were certain verses
00:14:31.33\00:14:32.40
that it came
along or even a passage
00:14:32.43\00:14:35.10
that would have come along too,
00:14:35.14\00:14:36.24
and I would just
kind of conveniently,
00:14:36.27\00:14:38.11
you know, skip that passage
00:14:38.14\00:14:39.67
and continue on
00:14:39.71\00:14:40.91
knowing that that was something
00:14:40.94\00:14:42.11
that was
intended for my daughter
00:14:42.14\00:14:44.25
when she became
just a little older
00:14:44.28\00:14:45.75
and a little bit more mature,
00:14:45.78\00:14:46.82
that was a PG portion.
00:14:46.85\00:14:49.12
And so what am I saying?
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.69
What I'm saying is
that I would not recommend
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.66
that you read
this particular book
00:14:53.69\00:14:55.19
to your seven year old
00:14:55.22\00:14:56.36
as part of their
tuck in devotional time.
00:14:56.39\00:15:00.50
It just wouldn't be appropriate
for that age bracket.
00:15:00.53\00:15:04.80
But that being said,
00:15:04.83\00:15:06.60
I think it's also
important to understand
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.24
that I would highly recommend
00:15:08.27\00:15:09.30
that all Christians
00:15:09.34\00:15:10.61
eventually come
to read, and study,
00:15:10.64\00:15:12.71
and pray over
this particular book.
00:15:12.74\00:15:14.51
Why?
00:15:14.54\00:15:15.54
Because God doesn't
give us any of the counsels
00:15:15.58\00:15:18.38
and any of the
sacred text for no reason.
00:15:18.41\00:15:20.98
He has a very
needful reasons for us.
00:15:21.02\00:15:24.02
And so God gives
us priceless counsel.
00:15:24.05\00:15:25.92
In this case, He
gives us priceless counsel
00:15:25.95\00:15:27.86
and direction on romantic love
00:15:27.89\00:15:30.33
that is found between
men and between women.
00:15:30.36\00:15:34.03
And romance is one of
the most popular experiences
00:15:34.10\00:15:37.80
and portions of life
00:15:37.83\00:15:38.87
that there is in all
of the human experience
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.34
in all of history.
00:15:41.37\00:15:42.67
And it's no different today.
00:15:42.70\00:15:45.44
But the problem is
that we live in a world
00:15:45.47\00:15:46.91
where romance has been distorted
00:15:46.94\00:15:48.81
on a number of different fronts.
00:15:48.84\00:15:50.51
We live in a world
00:15:50.55\00:15:51.58
where romance has been changed
00:15:51.61\00:15:53.95
and it has been altered in ways
00:15:53.98\00:15:55.82
that bring some very negative
consequences and results.
00:15:55.85\00:16:00.19
And so God says, listen,
00:16:00.22\00:16:01.76
I came up with romance.
00:16:01.79\00:16:03.16
I invented it.
00:16:03.19\00:16:04.36
It was My idea.
00:16:04.39\00:16:05.93
But the problem is
00:16:05.96\00:16:07.00
that we have so many
different alternate ideas
00:16:07.03\00:16:09.83
about it,
00:16:09.86\00:16:10.90
that I wanna make
sure that you understand
00:16:10.93\00:16:13.07
the real romance
that I came up with,
00:16:13.10\00:16:15.67
just like every other topic.
00:16:15.70\00:16:17.14
And so does that
make the Song of Solomon
00:16:17.17\00:16:18.67
a very priceless important book?
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.24
Sure it does, doesn't it? Yeah.
00:16:22.28\00:16:25.65
Okay, now not only is
it priceless direction
00:16:25.68\00:16:28.18
and counsel in
regards to romantic love
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.45
that takes place
between a man and a woman,
00:16:30.49\00:16:32.12
a bride and a groom and such,
00:16:32.15\00:16:34.36
but there's also a
very powerful allegory
00:16:34.39\00:16:37.03
that some of the
earliest Christians
00:16:37.06\00:16:38.96
had also discovered
00:16:38.99\00:16:40.56
in concern to the relationship
00:16:40.60\00:16:41.86
between Christ and His church.
00:16:41.90\00:16:44.07
There is a deep
love and transparency
00:16:44.10\00:16:48.17
that God desires
00:16:48.20\00:16:49.30
for us to be
able to have with Him
00:16:49.34\00:16:50.71
as our maker.
00:16:50.74\00:16:51.97
And so there's nothing
00:16:52.01\00:16:54.24
that we should be ashamed of
00:16:54.28\00:16:55.64
to be able to
share with our maker
00:16:55.68\00:16:57.91
in regards to our hearts,
00:16:57.95\00:16:59.18
in regards to our
struggles or thoughts,
00:16:59.21\00:17:01.52
and even our thought life,
00:17:01.55\00:17:03.52
and some of our
shortcomings that take place,
00:17:03.55\00:17:05.69
you know.
00:17:05.72\00:17:06.76
And so there's a deep allegory
00:17:06.79\00:17:09.96
that is also
available in the same book
00:17:09.99\00:17:12.26
between the
relationship of Christ
00:17:12.29\00:17:14.36
and His church.
00:17:14.40\00:17:16.20
But we don't have
time to look at both
00:17:16.23\00:17:18.10
because one in itself,
00:17:18.13\00:17:19.43
the allegory in itself
would be a whole week study
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.74
and a whole
program study in itself.
00:17:21.77\00:17:24.34
And so I'm gonna
take the direction
00:17:24.37\00:17:25.47
of the actual
theme of this quarter
00:17:25.51\00:17:27.34
and this week lesson study
00:17:27.38\00:17:28.51
and look at the
practical counsel
00:17:28.54\00:17:30.68
and implications that are there
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.48
concern the earthly romance,
00:17:32.51\00:17:34.55
concerning the romance
between a man and a woman.
00:17:34.58\00:17:40.92
Now, although the Bible speaks
about sex in a positive light,
00:17:40.96\00:17:44.29
in several places
00:17:44.33\00:17:45.46
you would be hard pressed
00:17:45.49\00:17:47.40
to find another
Bible passage or book
00:17:47.40\00:17:50.17
that speaks of sex in
the context of spirit lead,
00:17:50.20\00:17:53.47
and spirit filled romance,
00:17:53.50\00:17:55.60
romance that takes place
between a bride and a groom,
00:17:55.64\00:17:59.47
between a husband and a wife.
00:17:59.51\00:18:02.78
Now, this brings up a
very important subject.
00:18:02.81\00:18:05.85
And one of the days
00:18:05.88\00:18:07.05
of this week's lesson
study points that out.
00:18:07.08\00:18:09.32
Now, I don't think
that we'll have time to go
00:18:09.35\00:18:10.85
into all the details on
that particular subject.
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.36
But I think
it's important for us
00:18:13.39\00:18:14.46
to be able to
pick up at this point,
00:18:14.49\00:18:16.26
that the context,
00:18:16.29\00:18:17.36
one of the first context
00:18:17.39\00:18:18.39
that we wanna pick up
00:18:18.43\00:18:19.49
in regards to the romance
00:18:19.53\00:18:20.80
that we find God
directing and counseling
00:18:20.83\00:18:23.33
in this beautiful book,
00:18:23.37\00:18:24.90
is the fact that it's
all found in the context
00:18:24.93\00:18:27.74
of the commitment of marriage,
00:18:27.77\00:18:29.97
that there is a bride
00:18:30.01\00:18:32.11
and that there is a...
00:18:32.14\00:18:33.88
There is a groom,
there is a husband,
00:18:33.91\00:18:35.31
and there is a wife
00:18:35.34\00:18:37.38
throughout the entire book.
00:18:37.41\00:18:39.48
And so it's important for
us to be able to understand.
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.68
And by the way,
00:18:41.72\00:18:42.78
the book of the Song
of Solomon confirms that,
00:18:42.82\00:18:44.95
we're gonna look at
that in a future text
00:18:44.99\00:18:47.12
in our study here today.
00:18:47.16\00:18:48.66
But there's
several other passages
00:18:48.69\00:18:50.03
in the Old and New Testament
00:18:50.06\00:18:51.06
that make it very, very clear
00:18:51.09\00:18:52.29
that God has always
intended sex and romance
00:18:52.33\00:18:54.50
to be found within
the marriage union.
00:18:54.56\00:18:57.93
And so it's not by surprise
00:18:57.97\00:18:59.17
that we should find that context
00:18:59.20\00:19:00.77
in this beautiful love song.
00:19:00.80\00:19:03.17
Now, is that different
from most of the love songs
00:19:03.20\00:19:05.17
that we hear on the radio today?
00:19:05.21\00:19:07.51
Is that different from
most of the love stories
00:19:07.54\00:19:09.58
that we watch on
television today?
00:19:09.61\00:19:12.15
It is, isn't it?
00:19:12.18\00:19:14.38
And so that's the first takeaway
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.38
that we have.
00:19:16.42\00:19:17.42
And the counsel
that God gives to us
00:19:17.45\00:19:19.29
is that the
context of romance and sex
00:19:19.32\00:19:21.56
is always and only been intended
00:19:21.59\00:19:23.46
to be found within
the marriage union.
00:19:23.49\00:19:26.16
And so that's
important for us to be able to,
00:19:26.19\00:19:28.96
to pick up as well.
00:19:29.00\00:19:31.33
And so the Song of Solomon,
00:19:31.37\00:19:32.63
that becomes a vital
handbook for every husband,
00:19:32.67\00:19:34.97
for every wife,
every potential husband,
00:19:35.00\00:19:37.61
every potential wife.
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.51
And so if you were one of those
00:19:39.54\00:19:40.88
that didn't put your
hand up when I asked,
00:19:40.91\00:19:42.38
have you read the
Song of Solomon before,
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.05
this is your introduction.
00:19:44.08\00:19:45.98
And so we're gonna get a
good taste of it here today.
00:19:46.01\00:19:48.02
But I wanna encourage you
to read it all the way through
00:19:48.05\00:19:50.42
and pray over it, and
talk to the Lord about it
00:19:50.45\00:19:52.79
and ask Him how
it fit in your life,
00:19:52.82\00:19:54.32
perhaps as a
present husband or wife,
00:19:54.36\00:19:56.12
and then how God
is talking to you
00:19:56.16\00:19:57.86
as a future husband
00:19:57.89\00:19:59.83
or a potential wife as well.
00:19:59.86\00:20:05.13
Well, as we look
at Sunday's lesson,
00:20:05.17\00:20:06.60
we find that there's a
bit of a brief history lesson
00:20:06.63\00:20:09.34
in concern to
some Greek philosophy.
00:20:09.37\00:20:12.27
In this case,
the Greek philosophy
00:20:12.31\00:20:13.84
is referred to as dualism.
00:20:13.88\00:20:16.85
And some of you
are familiar with that,
00:20:16.88\00:20:18.28
some of you are not.
00:20:18.31\00:20:19.68
Now Plato, the ancient
and famous Greek philosophers,
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.88
the one that kind
of came up with it,
00:20:22.92\00:20:24.65
or at least he's the one
00:20:24.69\00:20:25.72
that made it well
known and infamous,
00:20:25.75\00:20:29.16
and that is the
philosophy of dualism.
00:20:29.19\00:20:31.76
Anybody know who had tutored
00:20:31.79\00:20:33.56
and had taught Plato by the way?
00:20:33.60\00:20:36.83
Anybody know who
tutored and taught Plato?
00:20:36.87\00:20:39.53
Socrates.
00:20:39.57\00:20:40.60
Okay, so Socrates had tutored
00:20:40.64\00:20:43.10
and discipled Plato,
00:20:43.14\00:20:45.44
and then Plato
discipled and tutored Aristotle.
00:20:45.47\00:20:49.84
Okay.
00:20:49.88\00:20:50.88
Does anybody know
00:20:50.91\00:20:51.91
who Aristotle
tutored and taught?
00:20:51.95\00:20:54.78
Alexander the Great! Good.
00:20:54.82\00:20:56.12
Yes, yes, Vonda.
00:20:56.15\00:20:57.15
It was Alexander the Great,
00:20:57.19\00:20:58.85
the great Greek
General and King.
00:20:58.89\00:21:01.79
Of course, he's famous in
history not for philosophy
00:21:01.82\00:21:03.99
by any means,
00:21:04.03\00:21:05.29
but he's famous as a king
00:21:05.33\00:21:07.36
and a very
successful general of wars.
00:21:07.40\00:21:10.57
He led his kind of
Greek army to overcome
00:21:10.60\00:21:14.90
and develop his world empire.
00:21:14.94\00:21:17.67
And, of course,
00:21:17.71\00:21:19.44
the Persian
Empire then was conquered
00:21:19.47\00:21:21.74
and expanded by
Alexander the Great.
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.95
So that's just a
little bit of side trivia,
00:21:24.98\00:21:26.88
but Plato
00:21:26.92\00:21:28.48
is in the middle
of these three famous,
00:21:28.52\00:21:31.19
very influential
Greek philosopher
00:21:31.22\00:21:33.29
that had preceded
the Christian church,
00:21:33.32\00:21:35.59
and had
influenced the Roman Empire
00:21:35.62\00:21:37.13
in which the
Christian church was born
00:21:37.16\00:21:39.33
in a very real and sadly
in a very detrimental way.
00:21:39.36\00:21:44.47
Now, the gist
00:21:44.50\00:21:46.13
or the simple gist of dualism
00:21:46.17\00:21:49.04
is that it
rejects the physical world
00:21:49.07\00:21:51.01
and the flesh, the body,
00:21:51.04\00:21:52.81
all anything that
you can touch, see,
00:21:52.84\00:21:54.74
smell or feel
00:21:54.78\00:21:57.38
or hear is evil,
00:21:57.41\00:22:00.18
and it's inferior.
00:22:00.22\00:22:01.62
The only thing that
is not evil and inferior
00:22:01.65\00:22:03.59
and that is pure is the
invisible soul or spirit
00:22:03.62\00:22:06.39
that is said to
exist within ourselves.
00:22:06.42\00:22:09.06
Now, of course, that
opens a whole other can of worms
00:22:09.09\00:22:11.06
because of course,
00:22:11.09\00:22:12.13
that's where
the Christian church
00:22:12.16\00:22:13.16
that was born in that context
00:22:13.19\00:22:14.36
was influenced
to start to adopt.
00:22:14.36\00:22:16.43
The soul is
something that is invisible
00:22:16.46\00:22:18.00
and separate from
the physical body,
00:22:18.03\00:22:20.37
which the Bible
actually doesn't teach.
00:22:20.40\00:22:23.54
But we don't want to get
sidetracked on that too far,
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.71
but in regards to
the Song of Solomon,
00:22:25.74\00:22:27.31
romance and so on,
00:22:27.34\00:22:29.04
Plato's philosophy
also influenced Christianity
00:22:29.08\00:22:32.21
and introduced ideas of holiness
00:22:32.25\00:22:34.68
that are actually
opposed to the religion
00:22:34.72\00:22:37.19
of the Bible.
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.79
Dualism is not something
that is, comes from the Bible.
00:22:39.82\00:22:44.19
It's not
something that God wants us
00:22:44.23\00:22:46.46
to understand and live by,
00:22:46.49\00:22:48.06
and it certainly
doesn't want us to influence us
00:22:48.10\00:22:50.50
into ideas of holiness.
00:22:50.53\00:22:52.07
Now, some people have got
little bit confused sometimes
00:22:52.10\00:22:54.77
because the Apostle Paul
actually was inspired to use
00:22:54.80\00:22:57.67
the popular philosophy
and thought process of dualism
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.91
in some of his
scriptures in the New Testament.
00:23:00.94\00:23:03.75
Ever heard of the sinful
flesh that Paul talks about?
00:23:03.78\00:23:06.92
Okay, some of us
have read that many times.
00:23:06.95\00:23:08.85
You know, Paul in
several different times
00:23:08.88\00:23:10.65
talks about the flesh
00:23:10.69\00:23:12.12
and he uses the flesh
00:23:12.15\00:23:13.76
to symbolize the sinful nature
00:23:13.79\00:23:16.93
that all of us
have been born with,
00:23:16.96\00:23:18.36
that we've been inherited
because of Adam and Eve sin.
00:23:18.39\00:23:21.60
And so we all are born
with a natural bent to sin,
00:23:21.63\00:23:25.40
we all have a propensity
to this particular error.
00:23:25.43\00:23:29.07
And so Paul then
was inspired to say,
00:23:29.10\00:23:32.21
well, that we can use
the flesh to symbolize that.
00:23:32.24\00:23:37.45
But Paul was not asking us
00:23:37.48\00:23:39.08
or inviting us to adopt dualism.
00:23:39.11\00:23:41.65
No, not at all.
00:23:41.68\00:23:42.68
In fact, he said,
00:23:42.72\00:23:43.75
the only way
that we can overcome
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.29
the sinful flesh
00:23:45.32\00:23:46.82
that we all experience
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.32
is through accepting
00:23:48.36\00:23:50.33
and having the
abiding Holy Spirit
00:23:50.36\00:23:53.86
in our hearts, okay?
00:23:53.90\00:23:55.93
Does that sound like dualism?
00:23:55.96\00:23:57.47
No.
00:23:57.50\00:23:58.53
Okay, it sounds similar to it
00:23:58.57\00:23:59.60
and again Paul is
kind of using something
00:23:59.63\00:24:01.34
that the minds of his generation
00:24:01.37\00:24:03.41
understood to a certain degree,
00:24:03.44\00:24:04.67
but now he's altering it
00:24:04.71\00:24:05.84
and putting the gospel in there.
00:24:05.87\00:24:07.54
And so he's saying
the gospel experiences
00:24:07.58\00:24:09.41
that we are all born sinners,
00:24:09.44\00:24:10.58
we're all born condemned,
00:24:10.61\00:24:11.95
as we are all
guilty and all have sinned
00:24:11.98\00:24:13.75
and therefore all face death.
00:24:13.78\00:24:15.08
But the good news
00:24:15.12\00:24:16.12
is that Jesus Christ came to die
00:24:16.15\00:24:17.75
in place of our sin,
in place of our guilt,
00:24:17.79\00:24:20.26
and now we are
open to the Holy Spirit,
00:24:20.29\00:24:22.92
we become born again
00:24:22.96\00:24:24.26
as Jesus placed
it and coined it,
00:24:24.29\00:24:26.80
and therefore
00:24:26.83\00:24:27.83
we are now
filled with the Spirit
00:24:27.86\00:24:29.33
that is outside of ourselves,
00:24:29.36\00:24:31.33
not some
invisible soul or spirit
00:24:31.37\00:24:33.10
that we have internally
00:24:33.13\00:24:35.00
and intrinsically
existing within us
00:24:35.04\00:24:36.97
as Plato taught in dualism,
00:24:37.01\00:24:38.61
but rather it is the Holy Spirit
00:24:38.64\00:24:41.44
that comes from outside,
00:24:41.48\00:24:43.11
God Himself
starts to dwell in us
00:24:43.14\00:24:44.78
and our bodies are holy
temples of the Holy Spirit.
00:24:44.81\00:24:49.25
Now, if our
bodies are holy temples
00:24:49.28\00:24:50.95
of the Holy Spirit,
00:24:50.99\00:24:52.15
does that make
our bodies important?
00:24:52.19\00:24:54.26
Sure, it does,
00:24:54.29\00:24:55.39
and that's in harmony
with all the rest of the Bible,
00:24:55.42\00:24:58.09
all of the scriptures tell us
00:24:58.13\00:24:59.53
that God views us
in a holistic way.
00:24:59.56\00:25:02.00
He created us.
00:25:02.03\00:25:03.06
He created Adam
out of the material,
00:25:03.10\00:25:06.23
dust and elements of the earth.
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.20
And then He
breathed into his nostrils
00:25:08.24\00:25:10.87
the breath of
life, the spark of life
00:25:10.91\00:25:12.87
that helped his
heart to start beating,
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.24
his mind to start thinking,
00:25:14.28\00:25:15.98
his lungs to start breathing.
00:25:16.01\00:25:18.21
And so we find that
God has always intended
00:25:18.25\00:25:21.02
for us to understand
00:25:21.05\00:25:22.12
that there is a union
between the mind and the body,
00:25:22.15\00:25:27.59
and our thinking or
consciousness in the body.
00:25:27.62\00:25:31.59
And so the Bible
takes a much more holistic
00:25:31.63\00:25:33.80
different view
than that of Plato.
00:25:33.83\00:25:36.67
In Galatians 5:17,
00:25:36.70\00:25:39.63
it says, "I say,
then walk in the Spirit,"
00:25:39.67\00:25:42.44
now that's a capital
S Spirit, Holy Spirit,
00:25:42.47\00:25:45.11
"and you shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh."
00:25:45.14\00:25:49.04
Once again, so
the key differences
00:25:49.08\00:25:50.68
that we need to be led
00:25:50.71\00:25:52.15
and live by the Holy Spirit,
00:25:52.18\00:25:53.58
not by our own spirit,
00:25:53.62\00:25:55.38
not by our own intrinsic soul
00:25:55.42\00:25:57.92
invisible of some
kind, but by the Holy Spirit.
00:25:57.95\00:26:01.49
And so Paul never
intended to tell us
00:26:01.52\00:26:03.12
that our physical bodies
and its functions are evil.
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.19
It's something to be shunned.
00:26:05.23\00:26:08.03
And let's confirm
that with one verse
00:26:08.06\00:26:09.90
and we have a volunteer
00:26:09.93\00:26:11.50
that has kindly
agreed to read Romans 12:1.
00:26:11.53\00:26:16.40
And so we're gonna invite
00:26:16.44\00:26:19.47
Hoftis to read that for us.
00:26:19.51\00:26:21.01
Thank you, Hoftis.
00:26:21.04\00:26:22.08
Romans 12:1,
00:26:22.11\00:26:24.05
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:26:24.08\00:26:26.51
by the mercies of God,
00:26:26.55\00:26:28.15
that you present your bodies
00:26:28.18\00:26:29.75
a living sacrifice,
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.62
holy, acceptable to God,
00:26:31.65\00:26:33.89
which is your
reasonable service."
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.76
Okay, so what does God
want us to present to God?
00:26:36.79\00:26:41.10
Your bodies,
00:26:41.13\00:26:43.53
okay?
00:26:43.57\00:26:44.57
Does that include your mind?
00:26:44.60\00:26:46.37
Sure it does, okay?
00:26:46.40\00:26:47.44
Biologically includes your brain
00:26:47.47\00:26:48.77
but includes the rest
00:26:48.80\00:26:49.84
that's attached to it, right?
00:26:49.87\00:26:51.34
Okay, so God is
asking us and telling us,
00:26:51.37\00:26:53.38
invited us to
present our bodies,
00:26:53.41\00:26:55.58
everything from
the top of our head
00:26:55.61\00:26:56.95
to the tips of our toes.
00:26:56.98\00:26:58.28
God wants to present
us as a holistic person.
00:26:58.31\00:27:01.98
Our entire soul as
the Bible properly teaches
00:27:02.02\00:27:05.19
of what a soul is.
00:27:05.22\00:27:06.79
And so as we bring that
before the feet of Christ,
00:27:06.82\00:27:10.39
our entire being,
00:27:10.43\00:27:12.89
as a living sacrifice,
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.86
that we may demonstrate
00:27:14.93\00:27:15.93
that which is
good and acceptable,
00:27:15.96\00:27:18.13
that good and
acceptable service to prove
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.30
that God can work
through us in a powerful way.
00:27:20.34\00:27:22.70
This is the pervading theme
00:27:22.74\00:27:25.24
that we find
throughout the New Testament.
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.24
But again, sadly,
many of the early,
00:27:27.28\00:27:29.24
most influential
names and leaders
00:27:29.28\00:27:32.28
and pastors within the church
00:27:32.31\00:27:34.15
began to adopt much
00:27:34.18\00:27:36.15
of which they had
been indoctrinated
00:27:36.18\00:27:37.55
before they were
converted to Christianity,
00:27:37.59\00:27:39.19
and that is
Platonism, or platonic thinking
00:27:39.22\00:27:41.62
and philosophy,
00:27:41.66\00:27:42.99
dualism,
00:27:43.02\00:27:44.56
and that is that
there's something
00:27:44.59\00:27:46.66
evil intrinsically in the body,
00:27:46.70\00:27:48.96
ever since physical
existence came into being.
00:27:49.00\00:27:52.60
And, of course, that would also
include anything biologically
00:27:52.63\00:27:55.97
that exists within
our bodies as well.
00:27:56.00\00:27:59.61
And so as it turns out,
00:27:59.64\00:28:00.81
the subject that
we're looking at today
00:28:00.84\00:28:02.08
is romance
00:28:02.11\00:28:03.18
and a big part of
romance within marriage
00:28:03.21\00:28:05.31
also includes biological sex,
00:28:05.35\00:28:07.88
it includes a sex life.
00:28:07.92\00:28:10.02
And so the early
Christians and believers,
00:28:10.05\00:28:14.56
leaders started
to view physical sex
00:28:14.59\00:28:16.79
as a necessary evil
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.19
to procreate at best.
00:28:19.23\00:28:22.23
And some of them
even went further
00:28:22.26\00:28:23.83
and said that the texts
that come in after the fall,
00:28:23.87\00:28:27.00
and before that
one had even suggested
00:28:27.04\00:28:29.97
that we used to reproduce
by some form of vegetation,
00:28:30.01\00:28:33.94
and in such.
00:28:33.98\00:28:36.21
And by the way,
00:28:36.24\00:28:37.88
I wanna be very sensitive
00:28:37.91\00:28:39.18
as we look at
this particular subject
00:28:39.21\00:28:40.88
because I know
00:28:40.92\00:28:41.95
that there's some
very sincere Christians
00:28:41.98\00:28:43.69
and people that I
know and love very well
00:28:43.72\00:28:45.45
in this room that
are watching online
00:28:45.49\00:28:46.89
or on TV and such.
00:28:46.92\00:28:48.49
And I've been pastoring
for 20 something years now.
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.39
And in that I've been exposed
00:28:51.43\00:28:53.60
to a lot of different members'
00:28:53.63\00:28:54.93
perspectives and so on.
00:28:54.96\00:28:56.06
Now, I had some
sincere, beautiful Christians
00:28:56.10\00:28:59.00
that will come to me and said,
00:28:59.03\00:29:00.10
"I always
understood sex as something
00:29:00.14\00:29:01.40
as a result of sin
00:29:01.44\00:29:02.54
that came in after sin."
00:29:02.57\00:29:04.34
And so this is not
just ancient history
00:29:04.37\00:29:06.24
that we're looking at,
00:29:06.27\00:29:07.28
we're also looking
at some perspectives
00:29:07.31\00:29:08.84
that some of you may
have even here this morning.
00:29:08.88\00:29:12.88
And so we wanna
be able to find out
00:29:12.91\00:29:14.62
what the Bible teaches.
00:29:14.65\00:29:15.65
Amen?
00:29:15.68\00:29:18.25
And so sadly,
00:29:18.29\00:29:20.16
again in early history
in the very first centuries,
00:29:20.19\00:29:22.66
many of the biggest
and most influential names
00:29:22.69\00:29:24.53
in early
Christianity, they even conclude
00:29:24.56\00:29:27.03
that indeed physical
sex was a necessary evil
00:29:27.10\00:29:31.30
that came in as a result of sin.
00:29:31.33\00:29:34.34
Now, Clement was
one of those names,
00:29:34.37\00:29:36.87
Alexandria,
Tertullian, Ambrose, Chrysostom,
00:29:36.91\00:29:41.08
Jerome is a more well-known
historical name origin,
00:29:41.11\00:29:45.51
Thomas Aquinas,
00:29:45.55\00:29:46.92
Augustine
00:29:46.95\00:29:48.62
or Augustine as some
of us might pronounce it.
00:29:48.65\00:29:51.85
All concluded that
sex was either a result
00:29:51.89\00:29:53.99
of the original sin
00:29:54.02\00:29:55.72
or was never
intended for pleasure
00:29:55.76\00:29:57.56
and only was to be practiced
00:29:57.59\00:29:59.19
when you're intending
on having more children.
00:29:59.23\00:30:02.26
It was only to be practiced
00:30:02.30\00:30:03.57
when you're
intending on making babies.
00:30:03.60\00:30:07.30
Now, since the
position of the priest
00:30:07.34\00:30:09.64
came to be known as the
holiest of all callings,
00:30:09.67\00:30:12.17
and certainly comes
with a high responsibility,
00:30:12.21\00:30:15.14
and even though we don't
use the term priest today
00:30:15.18\00:30:17.15
within our church rightly
and biblically so because this,
00:30:17.18\00:30:20.62
we only have one priest,
and that's the high priest,
00:30:20.65\00:30:22.72
Jesus Christ.
00:30:22.75\00:30:24.09
And the Old Testament priesthood
00:30:24.12\00:30:26.02
and priests were only designed
00:30:26.05\00:30:27.42
as a shadow pointing
to the ultimate substance,
00:30:27.46\00:30:29.36
which is Christ.
00:30:29.39\00:30:30.96
But nevertheless,
I stand in a position
00:30:30.99\00:30:32.76
that is very
similar as a pastor to that
00:30:32.79\00:30:34.63
of the early priests
of the first centuries.
00:30:34.66\00:30:36.77
And that comes with
a lot of responsibility
00:30:36.80\00:30:38.77
and we feel, if you're sincere,
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.77
the weight of
that responsibility
00:30:40.80\00:30:43.00
that God gives to us.
00:30:43.04\00:30:45.47
Does that mean
that God has called me
00:30:45.51\00:30:46.84
to lead a holier life than you?
00:30:46.88\00:30:49.51
Well, it's another subject
but the answer really is no.
00:30:49.54\00:30:52.75
All of us are called to
the same standard of holiness,
00:30:52.78\00:30:55.22
yes or no?
00:30:55.25\00:30:56.52
Sure, we are. Okay.
00:30:56.55\00:30:58.49
Some of you are
starting to process that.
00:30:58.52\00:31:00.42
You know, I've had
some people come up to me,
00:31:00.46\00:31:02.42
even my daughters and they
say, "Have you ever sinned?"
00:31:02.46\00:31:07.60
You know, they are welcomed,
00:31:07.66\00:31:08.90
though I'd swear they
could almost see a bit of a glow
00:31:08.93\00:31:11.20
over their heads,
you know and in such.
00:31:11.23\00:31:15.00
And so, no, God
has called us all
00:31:15.04\00:31:17.61
to the same
standard of holiness.
00:31:17.64\00:31:18.91
But another thing that
came into the early church
00:31:18.94\00:31:21.24
in the first centuries was that
00:31:21.28\00:31:22.38
to be a priest
was a holiest calling,
00:31:22.41\00:31:24.98
it was the holiest of callings.
00:31:25.01\00:31:27.15
And God has called
every man to be a man of God,
00:31:27.18\00:31:30.22
yes or no?
00:31:30.25\00:31:31.42
Not just me.
00:31:31.45\00:31:32.85
Every Christian
should be recognized
00:31:32.89\00:31:34.52
that they're just as called
to be a man of God as I am.
00:31:34.56\00:31:38.16
All of us are called to
be men and women of God.
00:31:38.19\00:31:41.56
And so the priest was
the holiest of callings.
00:31:41.60\00:31:43.23
And so the next natural step
in this kind of distorted view
00:31:43.26\00:31:46.84
that dualism had
brought into the church
00:31:46.87\00:31:48.57
and into the theology
00:31:48.60\00:31:49.94
and the thinking
of the Christians
00:31:49.97\00:31:51.21
of those early centuries,
00:31:51.24\00:31:52.71
is that it was to
lead to the next mistake
00:31:52.74\00:31:55.78
was to forbid priests
and their holy calling
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.08
and the holiest of
callings to either marry
00:31:58.11\00:32:00.88
and therefore also not
engage in any kind of romantic
00:32:00.92\00:32:03.95
lifestyle and experience.
00:32:03.99\00:32:06.76
And so, of
course, if sex is evil,
00:32:06.79\00:32:10.66
then of course, to be
in the holiest of callings,
00:32:10.69\00:32:13.40
you need to be able to make sure
00:32:13.43\00:32:14.56
you never expose
yourself to that evil.
00:32:14.56\00:32:16.20
And so it was
forbidden to be married.
00:32:16.23\00:32:19.03
Now unknown to the
church, and this is fascinating,
00:32:19.07\00:32:21.40
but the church in
the sixth century,
00:32:21.44\00:32:23.14
now this is in the 500s AD,
00:32:23.17\00:32:25.34
not too long into
the church's history
00:32:25.37\00:32:26.88
compared to our day and age.
00:32:26.91\00:32:28.68
The church also began to forbid
any of its married members,
00:32:28.71\00:32:31.95
married members from
engaging in any sexual activity
00:32:31.98\00:32:35.25
on certain days of the year.
00:32:35.28\00:32:37.19
In fact, they got
so carried away that
00:32:37.22\00:32:38.75
over half of the
calendar days were forbidden.
00:32:38.79\00:32:41.96
And, you know,
interesting, fascinating stuff.
00:32:41.99\00:32:45.73
Now, is this biblical?
00:32:45.76\00:32:47.73
No, not at all.
00:32:47.76\00:32:51.20
Now, it's
important to understand that
00:32:51.23\00:32:52.43
all of this
stems from a very wrong
00:32:52.47\00:32:54.47
and unbiblical understanding
of our bodies and of sexuality.
00:32:54.50\00:32:58.44
Whenever we
depart from God's plan
00:32:58.47\00:32:59.94
and Bible truth,
00:33:00.04\00:33:01.04
I think it's important
for us to understand that
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.88
we always suffer
negative consequences.
00:33:02.91\00:33:05.88
And this is no exception.
00:33:05.91\00:33:08.58
We can't ignore this.
00:33:08.62\00:33:10.15
Is it a more
uncomfortable subject?
00:33:10.19\00:33:12.72
Yeah, some of us get
a little bit squirmy,
00:33:12.75\00:33:14.79
you know, when we
talk about this subject.
00:33:14.82\00:33:16.29
We're saying, "Hey, you know,
00:33:16.32\00:33:17.69
I'm not sure if I'm
comfortable with this."
00:33:17.73\00:33:19.86
But you know what?
00:33:19.89\00:33:20.83
The fact of the
matter is, it comes from God.
00:33:20.86\00:33:23.10
And it's so
important that He gave us
00:33:23.13\00:33:24.97
a whole book in the Bible
00:33:25.00\00:33:26.17
to give us some
important counsel
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.70
and directive on it.
00:33:28.74\00:33:32.81
So to view sex within marriage,
00:33:32.84\00:33:34.84
and some of us have mistakenly
come to that conclusion
00:33:34.88\00:33:37.88
that sex is either
gross, or it's sinful,
00:33:37.91\00:33:41.52
this is not in
harmony with the Bible.
00:33:41.55\00:33:43.92
It will always
bring unhappiness.
00:33:43.95\00:33:46.32
And not only do we,
00:33:46.35\00:33:47.49
if we have this
distorted view of sex,
00:33:47.52\00:33:50.13
it also will come
with some very real sins
00:33:50.16\00:33:53.73
that can result
00:33:53.76\00:33:54.93
from that particular
conclusion and perspective.
00:33:54.96\00:33:57.73
And God wants you to
have a happy marriage.
00:33:57.77\00:34:01.07
And God wants you to
be able to avoid real sin,
00:34:01.10\00:34:03.51
yes or no?
00:34:03.54\00:34:04.77
And so that's why
it's important for us
00:34:04.81\00:34:06.41
to be able to open
our hearts and our minds
00:34:06.44\00:34:07.91
to what God wants to speak to us
00:34:07.94\00:34:10.28
in regards to this
particular subject.
00:34:10.31\00:34:13.31
We don't want to
be found fighting
00:34:13.35\00:34:14.42
against the
wisdom and plan of God.
00:34:14.45\00:34:17.39
This is where
the Song of Solomon
00:34:17.42\00:34:18.89
can come to our rescue.
00:34:18.92\00:34:20.89
This is where the Song
of Solomon can speak to us
00:34:20.92\00:34:23.79
in a needful way.
00:34:23.83\00:34:24.93
It presents sex
in its proper light.
00:34:24.96\00:34:27.00
It presents it in
true love between one man
00:34:27.03\00:34:30.20
and between one woman,
again and the commitment of?
00:34:30.23\00:34:33.94
Of the marriage commitment.
00:34:33.97\00:34:35.70
Okay.
00:34:35.74\00:34:36.74
It is here that we
find biblical romance
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.57
that God wants
all married people
00:34:38.61\00:34:41.84
to experience.
00:34:41.88\00:34:44.88
Now, at the same time,
00:34:44.91\00:34:46.01
I wanna stop and just
spend a couple of minutes
00:34:46.05\00:34:48.62
telling one or more individuals
00:34:48.65\00:34:50.49
that I know is
in this room today,
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.39
that I know is
watching this program right now.
00:34:53.42\00:34:56.46
And that is in
regards to sexual abuse.
00:34:56.49\00:34:59.76
Now sadly, sexual
abuse is something
00:34:59.79\00:35:03.20
that many of us
have experienced.
00:35:03.23\00:35:06.03
More than one of us in this room
00:35:06.07\00:35:07.27
has experienced it as a child.
00:35:07.30\00:35:09.20
When we are
exposed to sexual abuse
00:35:09.24\00:35:11.21
either as a child
and some of us have been
00:35:11.24\00:35:13.71
exposed to
criminal rape and so on.
00:35:13.74\00:35:16.81
When we experience that,
and now and again as a pastor,
00:35:16.85\00:35:19.31
you know, I'm fortunate
I wasn't exposed to that.
00:35:19.35\00:35:22.88
I've never experienced that,
00:35:22.92\00:35:24.09
my wife has
never experienced that
00:35:24.12\00:35:25.72
and so our marriage
doesn't struggle with that.
00:35:25.75\00:35:27.86
But I know that
more than one marriage
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.36
here struggles with that,
00:35:29.39\00:35:30.73
more than one person
is struggling with that.
00:35:30.76\00:35:33.90
And sadly, more than 50% of us
00:35:33.93\00:35:37.63
are exposed to that
before we reach adulthood.
00:35:37.67\00:35:40.44
That's the reality
of our day and age,
00:35:40.47\00:35:43.00
you know.
00:35:43.04\00:35:44.07
The reason I bring it up is
00:35:44.11\00:35:45.14
because we're
looking at the subject,
00:35:45.17\00:35:46.98
and the Song of Solomon
is something that presents it
00:35:47.01\00:35:49.41
in a needful, and
positive, and contextual way.
00:35:49.44\00:35:54.72
But I understand
that if sex is something
00:35:54.75\00:35:56.52
that you've concluded
is either gross or sinful
00:35:56.55\00:35:59.15
or something that is distorted
00:35:59.19\00:36:01.52
and you
understand that that's tied
00:36:01.56\00:36:03.36
to your experience in the past
00:36:03.39\00:36:04.89
because you've been
abused, you've been victimized
00:36:04.93\00:36:07.96
because of it.
00:36:08.00\00:36:09.40
And I just wanna encourage you
00:36:09.43\00:36:12.87
to spend some prayerful time
00:36:12.90\00:36:14.37
going through the book
of the Song of Solomon,
00:36:14.40\00:36:16.91
and saying, Lord,
help to straighten things
00:36:16.94\00:36:19.01
out of my heart and my mind,
00:36:19.04\00:36:20.24
help me to understand
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.84
how you view romance
00:36:22.88\00:36:24.11
and how you want
my marriage to be.
00:36:24.15\00:36:26.18
And God can do some
beautiful things in your heart.
00:36:26.21\00:36:30.12
Spend some time praying over it.
00:36:30.15\00:36:31.82
And if you haven't
talked to your spouse about it,
00:36:31.85\00:36:34.79
I wanna encourage you
00:36:34.82\00:36:35.82
to open up to
your spouse about it.
00:36:35.86\00:36:37.33
You know, I've talked
to one or more members
00:36:37.36\00:36:39.49
over the years that
have come to me and said,
00:36:39.53\00:36:40.93
"Pastor I was
raped repeatedly times
00:36:40.96\00:36:43.16
when I was
growing up as a girl."
00:36:43.20\00:36:44.53
And, of course, I'm not
going to share the gory details,
00:36:44.57\00:36:47.57
but she had been
married for well over 25 years,
00:36:47.60\00:36:50.47
and she knew that her sex life,
00:36:50.51\00:36:52.71
her romance was not
where it really should be,
00:36:52.74\00:36:56.48
and where God wanted it to be.
00:36:56.51\00:36:57.51
And she knew the reason
00:36:57.55\00:36:58.95
and so she
opened up with me first,
00:36:58.98\00:37:01.65
but I said, "You know,
00:37:01.68\00:37:03.02
you got to work through
this with your husband as well."
00:37:03.05\00:37:07.89
So I just wanna encourage you,
00:37:07.92\00:37:09.29
talk to your
spouse open up with them
00:37:09.32\00:37:11.76
and start to share your heart
and work through it together
00:37:11.79\00:37:13.73
as you prayerfully
work through that together.
00:37:13.76\00:37:15.93
Because if you hadn't,
00:37:15.96\00:37:16.97
it's affecting your
marriage inevitably,
00:37:17.00\00:37:18.87
at some measure it's
affected your marriage
00:37:18.90\00:37:20.97
in a negative way.
00:37:21.00\00:37:22.20
And it's robbing
you from some happiness
00:37:22.24\00:37:24.51
that God wants you to have,
00:37:24.54\00:37:26.44
that you're not
experiencing now.
00:37:26.47\00:37:27.98
So
00:37:28.01\00:37:30.41
I'm really sorry that, you know,
00:37:30.45\00:37:31.48
that we have to talk
about these things sometimes.
00:37:31.51\00:37:34.85
You know, because
00:37:34.88\00:37:36.15
I know they're
not easy to talk about
00:37:36.18\00:37:38.49
and yet they're part
of the human experience.
00:37:38.52\00:37:41.39
And we are in a worst place,
if we don't talk about it.
00:37:41.42\00:37:47.40
And so it makes the Song
of Solomon a priceless tool
00:37:47.40\00:37:49.60
for you as well.
00:37:49.63\00:37:51.53
Now, this is a very
long intro to a book
00:37:51.57\00:37:53.20
that we've only read one
verse from so far, isn't it?
00:37:53.23\00:37:57.41
Let's read some sample
verses that reveal the romance.
00:37:57.44\00:38:00.08
Now I just wanna
tell volunteer number two
00:38:00.11\00:38:01.88
that I did save
00:38:01.91\00:38:02.88
and they probably read
it already ahead of time.
00:38:02.91\00:38:04.35
I've saved the easy
verses for the volunteers
00:38:04.38\00:38:06.58
just to be easier.
00:38:06.61\00:38:08.48
Okay, so Solomon 1:2,
00:38:08.52\00:38:12.92
and then we're also
gonna look at 2:6-7.
00:38:12.95\00:38:16.93
And so our volunteer number two,
00:38:16.96\00:38:19.06
Alberto is gonna be
a little bit busier.
00:38:19.09\00:38:21.50
Case, Song of Solomon 1:2.
00:38:21.53\00:38:25.80
"Let him kiss me with
the kisses of his mouth,
00:38:25.83\00:38:30.17
for your love is
better than wine."
00:38:30.21\00:38:33.38
Solomon 2:6-7,
00:38:33.41\00:38:35.84
"His left hand is under my head,
00:38:35.88\00:38:38.18
and his right hand embraces me.
00:38:38.21\00:38:40.58
I charge you, O
daughters of Jerusalem,
00:38:40.62\00:38:43.79
but the gazelles or
by the does of the field,
00:38:43.82\00:38:46.79
to nastier up nor
awaken love until it pleases."
00:38:46.82\00:38:52.26
Okay, thank you.
Does that sound romantic?
00:38:52.29\00:38:55.36
Does it sound physical?
00:38:55.40\00:38:57.53
Sure, it does. Okay.
00:38:57.57\00:38:59.53
Within the marriage union,
00:38:59.57\00:39:00.70
physical romance
is part of God's plan.
00:39:00.74\00:39:03.74
You know, even as
he is describing there,
00:39:03.77\00:39:05.34
you know, the groom's,
00:39:05.37\00:39:07.41
the man's hand
is behind her head
00:39:07.44\00:39:09.58
and embracing here and so on.
00:39:09.61\00:39:11.41
And this is more
intense intimacy, isn't it
00:39:11.45\00:39:15.08
that's been described here.
00:39:15.12\00:39:16.32
This is more than just
a quick peck on the cheek
00:39:16.35\00:39:18.45
or a peck on the lips, you know.
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.86
This is real romance
within the marriage union.
00:39:20.89\00:39:24.09
And so the Bible talks about
it in a very real and open way,
00:39:24.13\00:39:28.16
in a holistic way.
00:39:28.20\00:39:30.07
Sounds very romantic.
00:39:30.10\00:39:31.47
And it's also good counsel here.
00:39:31.50\00:39:33.94
And I just want to talk about
00:39:33.97\00:39:35.70
I should say in a way
that counsels our young people,
00:39:35.74\00:39:38.27
those who are single
that are listening here today,
00:39:38.31\00:39:41.88
and that is that
00:39:41.91\00:39:43.21
God has also
told us in that 2:7,
00:39:43.24\00:39:46.78
we have some
advice from the bride
00:39:46.82\00:39:49.55
to those who are not brides yet,
00:39:49.58\00:39:51.75
from the bride to
those who are single yet.
00:39:51.79\00:39:53.99
And she's saying, hey, listen,
when it comes to engaging
00:39:54.02\00:39:56.36
in some of this
more intense intimacy,
00:39:56.39\00:39:59.29
including this
particular style of kissing,
00:39:59.33\00:40:02.83
is designed and
withheld or should be reserved
00:40:02.86\00:40:05.70
until marriage,
until you find the one
00:40:05.73\00:40:07.64
that you're gonna spend
the rest of your life with.
00:40:07.67\00:40:10.47
You know, there's a saying,
00:40:10.51\00:40:11.51
and maybe I'm
making up the saying,
00:40:11.54\00:40:12.74
I'm not sure
exactly how it goes.
00:40:12.77\00:40:14.21
But once you start
warming up the oven,
00:40:14.24\00:40:17.95
it can be very
difficult to cool it back down.
00:40:17.98\00:40:21.18
And some couples
have made the mistake
00:40:21.22\00:40:23.08
of warming up the oven
00:40:23.12\00:40:24.15
and then they
can't cool it down.
00:40:24.19\00:40:25.42
And next thing, you know,
they have a bun in the oven.
00:40:25.45\00:40:27.02
And I know that we're getting
a bit of chuckle out of that,
00:40:30.19\00:40:33.03
and we need to break
the tension a little bit.
00:40:33.06\00:40:34.46
But I'm telling
you, as a pastor,
00:40:34.46\00:40:35.73
I've had more than
one or two young women
00:40:35.76\00:40:39.37
that have come to
me and some of them,
00:40:39.40\00:40:40.57
you know, they had demonstrated
00:40:40.60\00:40:41.60
through the years before that
00:40:41.64\00:40:42.67
they were saving their virginity
00:40:42.70\00:40:43.87
for the special man
that they were gonna marry.
00:40:43.91\00:40:46.51
They were saving themselves
00:40:46.54\00:40:47.71
and they'll come up
to me in tears in privacy
00:40:47.74\00:40:49.61
and they're just bawling.
00:40:49.64\00:40:50.65
And they're
saying, "You know, Pastor,
00:40:50.68\00:40:52.25
I made the mistake,
I started to engage in,
00:40:52.28\00:40:54.35
start to warm up the oven
and we couldn't cool it down.
00:40:54.38\00:40:57.72
And now I'm pregnant."
00:40:57.75\00:40:59.85
You know, the first time
00:40:59.89\00:41:02.69
she compromised and
now she's with child.
00:41:02.72\00:41:06.26
You know, this is serious stuff,
00:41:06.29\00:41:07.50
is it not?
00:41:07.50\00:41:08.56
Yeah, there's some
very negative consequences.
00:41:08.60\00:41:10.90
And so we find that
it's repeated three times,
00:41:10.93\00:41:13.54
verse 7 is
repeated later in Chapter 3
00:41:13.57\00:41:15.77
and then I think
it's later in Chapter 8,
00:41:15.80\00:41:18.14
three times we find this counsel
00:41:18.17\00:41:19.77
from the bride and
saying, "Hey, listen,
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.01
don't start warming
up the oven too much
00:41:21.04\00:41:22.71
until you know
that, that's the one,
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.08
until you know that
you found your bride,
00:41:24.11\00:41:26.38
you found your groom."
00:41:26.41\00:41:29.72
Even worse than
that, bun in the oven
00:41:29.75\00:41:31.59
is falling in love,
00:41:31.62\00:41:32.65
you start to fan
the flames too much,
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.26
you start to warm
up the oven too far
00:41:34.29\00:41:36.73
and then all kinds
of hormones and emotions
00:41:36.76\00:41:39.19
start to flood into
your brain, and your mind,
00:41:39.23\00:41:41.40
and your heart and now
you can't think straight.
00:41:41.43\00:41:44.23
And now you're making
decisions that you shouldn't
00:41:44.27\00:41:47.24
because this is not the
woman that God intended for you.
00:41:47.27\00:41:49.87
Maybe this is not the
man that God intended for be.
00:41:49.90\00:41:51.97
But now you're seeing red
00:41:52.01\00:41:55.08
because you started to
fan the flames too early.
00:41:55.11\00:42:00.05
Now scientific
research has revealed
00:42:00.08\00:42:01.58
that our bodies release
several different hormones
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.49
during sexual experience.
00:42:04.52\00:42:06.02
One of those is oxytocin.
00:42:06.05\00:42:08.36
Now oxytocin is more familiar
00:42:08.39\00:42:10.49
and more
well-known to be the hormone
00:42:10.53\00:42:12.16
that God has created in a woman,
00:42:12.19\00:42:13.93
in a mother that is released
in a very substantial measure
00:42:13.96\00:42:17.40
when she is both
giving birth to a child
00:42:17.43\00:42:20.44
as well as when
she's breastfeeding.
00:42:20.47\00:42:22.04
Why?
00:42:22.07\00:42:23.07
Because science
research has discovered
00:42:23.10\00:42:25.67
that hormone
develops an emotional bond
00:42:25.71\00:42:30.08
that would never be as strong
00:42:30.11\00:42:31.55
if it wasn't for that
hormone being released.
00:42:31.58\00:42:33.38
And so God is forming a bond
00:42:33.42\00:42:35.62
between the mother and the child
00:42:35.65\00:42:37.79
in a very powerful way.
00:42:37.82\00:42:40.76
Now, the fascinating thing is
00:42:40.79\00:42:42.09
that science has also
revealed and discovered
00:42:42.12\00:42:44.49
that oxytocin is released
in a very substantial measure
00:42:44.53\00:42:48.76
when a woman is
engaged in sexual activity.
00:42:48.80\00:42:51.40
Why?
00:42:51.43\00:42:52.47
Because God had designed that
00:42:52.50\00:42:55.17
for the heart of the
woman and also the man
00:42:55.20\00:42:56.94
to a real degree as well.
00:42:56.97\00:42:58.17
It releases oxytocin to
bind an emotional binding
00:42:58.21\00:43:03.51
and bond that was never designed
00:43:03.55\00:43:06.38
to be broken again.
00:43:06.41\00:43:09.25
And that's why God
designed it that way.
00:43:09.28\00:43:10.85
Why?
00:43:10.89\00:43:11.89
Because when you
consummate your marriage,
00:43:11.92\00:43:13.22
when you have your fun
in your honeymoon and so on,
00:43:13.25\00:43:15.66
you are bonding your
hearts together in a way
00:43:15.69\00:43:19.53
that God has
designed you to become one
00:43:19.56\00:43:21.33
and never to be separated again.
00:43:21.36\00:43:23.77
It's a beautiful picture
biologically and scientifically
00:43:23.80\00:43:26.33
when you see it in the context
of the commitment of marriage,
00:43:26.37\00:43:28.84
but when we start to engage
in it outside of marriage,
00:43:28.87\00:43:31.14
it creates a big
mess, doesn't it?
00:43:31.17\00:43:33.88
And that's why we
have so many broken hearts.
00:43:33.91\00:43:35.64
Many of us have
experienced a number of deep
00:43:35.68\00:43:38.01
and broken hearts
00:43:38.05\00:43:38.98
before we ever find
the person that we marry,
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.28
because we left
the counsel of God.
00:43:41.32\00:43:45.22
And on the same vein,
00:43:45.25\00:43:46.29
I wanna talk some on
dating and going steady.
00:43:46.32\00:43:48.66
The Shulamite's counsel
00:43:48.69\00:43:49.92
also can apply in
principle to the youth.
00:43:49.96\00:43:52.83
And that is don't make
the mistake of following
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.73
what the world models for
you and don't start dating
00:43:54.76\00:43:57.43
and going steady
with men and women
00:43:57.47\00:43:59.03
or even worse
with boys and girls.
00:43:59.07\00:44:02.34
Okay, boys don't get married.
00:44:02.37\00:44:05.54
Girls don't get
married or they shouldn't
00:44:05.57\00:44:08.18
not in our day and age anyway.
00:44:08.21\00:44:10.21
Okay?
00:44:10.25\00:44:11.28
Men get married
00:44:11.31\00:44:13.08
and by the way
ladies don't pipe down,
00:44:13.11\00:44:14.62
I don't get start
preaching a sermon
00:44:14.65\00:44:15.75
I have coming
you know, you know,
00:44:15.78\00:44:16.92
don't marry a
boy, you marry a man.
00:44:16.95\00:44:19.42
Okay, ladies.
00:44:19.45\00:44:20.72
And sometimes well say,
well, boys will be boys.
00:44:20.76\00:44:22.89
Yeah, that's right.
They are still boys.
00:44:22.92\00:44:24.26
If he's still a
boy don't marry him.
00:44:24.29\00:44:25.56
He's not a man.
00:44:25.59\00:44:28.60
God has only
intended women to marry men.
00:44:28.63\00:44:31.23
And so make sure that he's a man
00:44:31.27\00:44:32.77
before you marry him.
00:44:32.80\00:44:33.84
That's a different subject.
00:44:33.87\00:44:36.71
So yeah, don't follow
what the world models.
00:44:36.74\00:44:39.24
Now, I know the world models
00:44:39.27\00:44:40.24
that once you reach
grade school time nowadays,
00:44:40.28\00:44:43.58
you know, it's
cool, it's invoke,
00:44:43.61\00:44:45.98
you know, that in fact,
00:44:46.01\00:44:47.15
some parents are encouraging you
00:44:47.18\00:44:48.48
to start engaging and
dating and going steady.
00:44:48.52\00:44:51.32
Start practicing
for that special person
00:44:51.35\00:44:53.62
you gonna have in the future.
00:44:53.66\00:44:54.69
Listen, that's
just a bunch of hogwash.
00:44:54.72\00:44:58.99
Don't follow it.
Don't fall for it.
00:44:59.03\00:45:00.76
That's what the world models,
00:45:00.80\00:45:01.76
but that's not
what God gives to us.
00:45:01.80\00:45:04.03
You start dating
00:45:04.07\00:45:05.07
and you start going
steady with somebody
00:45:05.10\00:45:06.77
only when you know
that you're seriously ready
00:45:06.80\00:45:08.57
and that person is seriously
ready in considering marriage.
00:45:08.60\00:45:11.61
You'll save yourself
00:45:11.64\00:45:12.64
a whole lot of
pain and heartache.
00:45:12.67\00:45:16.04
Now, because of
this, my wife and I
00:45:16.08\00:45:17.55
had decided very early on
00:45:17.58\00:45:19.01
after we had our first child
00:45:19.05\00:45:20.15
that we would not
allow our children
00:45:20.18\00:45:21.45
to watch any
entertainment that involved
00:45:21.48\00:45:23.22
or model teenage romance.
00:45:23.25\00:45:25.72
Now, teenage
romance is just pervasive.
00:45:25.75\00:45:27.92
There's so much of
our entertainment industry
00:45:27.96\00:45:29.62
today.
00:45:29.66\00:45:30.69
And we decide we are not
gonna expose our children,
00:45:30.73\00:45:33.53
our daughters to any
kind of teenage romance.
00:45:33.56\00:45:35.63
Why?
00:45:35.66\00:45:36.67
Because that's not
part of God's plan.
00:45:36.70\00:45:38.30
So why would I
want to expose them
00:45:38.33\00:45:39.73
to a model that tells them
00:45:39.77\00:45:40.84
something different than
what God has planned for them.
00:45:40.87\00:45:44.01
Now for some of us,
00:45:44.04\00:45:45.07
I know that kind
of steps on some toes,
00:45:45.11\00:45:48.11
you know, one of
Denise's favorite movies
00:45:48.14\00:45:49.91
when she grow up was
"The Sound of Music."
00:45:49.94\00:45:54.18
Now The Sound of Music
has some real teenage romance
00:45:54.22\00:45:56.55
and so Denise and I scratched
our head and we thought,
00:45:56.58\00:45:59.09
"Where do we go with this?"
00:45:59.12\00:46:00.22
You know, this is
one of the classics
00:46:00.26\00:46:01.66
but friends, we decided no.
00:46:01.69\00:46:03.63
We're not gonna
allow our daughters
00:46:03.66\00:46:04.86
to be exposed to
any teenage romance,
00:46:04.89\00:46:06.49
even if it's as
benign as the Sound of Music.
00:46:06.53\00:46:09.96
So this is
something for you to take away
00:46:10.00\00:46:12.03
and talk about.
00:46:12.07\00:46:13.34
Okay, we're almost out of time.
00:46:13.37\00:46:16.60
In one way I can say,
00:46:16.64\00:46:18.41
I don't have to get
into the deeper stuff,
00:46:18.44\00:46:21.84
but let's go to Chapter 4.
00:46:21.88\00:46:25.45
And we're just gonna go to
the punch line of the book,
00:46:25.48\00:46:28.52
4:1, says, "Behold,
you are fair, my love."
00:46:28.55\00:46:32.29
Now this is the groom.
00:46:32.32\00:46:34.59
This is Solomon, the
groom speaking to his bride,
00:46:34.62\00:46:36.73
he says, "Behold,
you are fair, my love!
00:46:36.76\00:46:38.66
Behold, you are fair!
00:46:38.69\00:46:39.69
You have dove
eyes like your veil,
00:46:39.73\00:46:41.50
behind your veil.
00:46:41.53\00:46:42.83
Your hair is
like a flock of goats
00:46:42.86\00:46:44.90
going down from Mount Gilead."
00:46:44.93\00:46:47.84
You know, when my wife
and I read this together
00:46:47.87\00:46:49.50
years and years ago
00:46:49.54\00:46:50.54
at the beginning
of our relationship,
00:46:50.57\00:46:52.04
and we used to tease
each other and you know,
00:46:52.07\00:46:54.04
we read somewhere,
00:46:54.08\00:46:55.01
I went to a marriage
encounter and they said,
00:46:55.04\00:46:56.14
"Never go to bed
00:46:56.18\00:46:57.18
without telling your
spouse you love them,
00:46:57.21\00:46:58.78
and always give
them one compliment."
00:46:58.81\00:47:01.28
And so when we say
good night, at night,
00:47:01.32\00:47:02.72
I'd say, "Good night, honey,
00:47:02.75\00:47:03.85
and so by the way, I love you
00:47:03.89\00:47:05.32
and your hair's
like a flock of goats."
00:47:05.35\00:47:07.12
She wasn't sure how to take it,
00:47:11.76\00:47:12.93
we still kind of
giggle over that.
00:47:12.96\00:47:15.46
"Your teeth are like
the flock of shorn sheep,"
00:47:15.50\00:47:18.63
of course, nice
and white and clean,
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.40
"which have come
from the washing,
00:47:20.44\00:47:21.70
every one which bears twins,
00:47:21.74\00:47:23.30
and none is barren among you.
00:47:23.34\00:47:25.04
Your lips are like
a strand of scarlet
00:47:25.07\00:47:26.68
and your mouth is lovely.
00:47:26.71\00:47:28.01
Your temples behind your veil
00:47:28.04\00:47:29.34
are like a piece of pomegranate.
00:47:29.38\00:47:31.28
Your neck is like
the Tower of David,
00:47:31.31\00:47:33.01
built for an armory,
00:47:33.05\00:47:34.45
on which hang thousand bucklers,
00:47:34.48\00:47:36.42
all shields of mighty men."
00:47:36.45\00:47:39.02
Now I have to
confess, I'm gonna go ahead
00:47:39.05\00:47:40.49
and skip number five.
00:47:40.52\00:47:42.66
And the reason being is that
00:47:42.69\00:47:44.03
I know this is
program for family,
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.79
programming on
different television networks.
00:47:45.83\00:47:47.73
And so I'm not gonna put
them on the spot that way.
00:47:47.76\00:47:49.86
You go ahead and
read that yourself.
00:47:49.90\00:47:51.63
Verse 6, it says,
"Until the day breaks
00:47:51.67\00:47:53.57
and the shadows flee away,
00:47:53.60\00:47:54.87
I will go my way to
the mountain of myrrh
00:47:54.90\00:47:56.77
into the hill of frankincense.
00:47:56.81\00:47:58.94
You are all fair, my love,
and there is no spot in you."
00:47:58.97\00:48:03.08
As far as he was
concerned she was perfect.
00:48:03.11\00:48:05.95
Now, not too many
wives find themselves
00:48:05.98\00:48:08.28
with a perfect body,
00:48:08.32\00:48:10.42
you know, like the models
in the magazines and so on.
00:48:10.45\00:48:13.36
And this one
probably wasn't perfect either
00:48:13.39\00:48:15.06
in regards to her physical body
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.46
but the point is that
for him she was perfect.
00:48:17.49\00:48:20.93
And that's the
view that God wants us
00:48:20.96\00:48:22.33
to have about all our wives.
00:48:22.36\00:48:24.77
"You are fair, oh my love,
and there is no spot in you.
00:48:24.80\00:48:27.84
Come with me from
Lebanon, my spouse,"
00:48:27.87\00:48:30.37
and there's the
context of marriage again,
00:48:30.41\00:48:32.47
"with me from Lebanon.
00:48:32.51\00:48:33.68
Look from the top of Amana,
00:48:33.71\00:48:35.11
from the top of
Shenir and from Hermon,"
00:48:35.14\00:48:37.15
these are all
mountains in Israel,
00:48:37.18\00:48:38.85
"from the lions' dens
00:48:38.88\00:48:39.91
and from the
mountains of the leopards."
00:48:39.95\00:48:42.15
Sounds a whole lot like
lookout point here, doesn't it?
00:48:42.18\00:48:46.65
"You have ravished my
heart, my sister, my spouse,"
00:48:46.69\00:48:49.76
now she wasn't
his physical sister
00:48:49.79\00:48:51.69
but sister in the
faith as Jesus said,
00:48:51.73\00:48:54.10
if you believe and
follow the will of God,
00:48:54.10\00:48:55.43
you are my sister.
00:48:55.46\00:48:57.30
"You have ravished my heart
with one look of your eyes,
00:48:57.33\00:49:01.17
with one link of your necklace.
00:49:01.20\00:49:03.10
How fair is your
love, my sister, my spouse!
00:49:03.14\00:49:05.94
How much better
than wine is your love,
00:49:05.97\00:49:07.84
and the scent of your
perfumes than all spices!
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.78
Your lips, O my
spouse, drip as the honeycomb,
00:49:10.81\00:49:13.38
honey and milk
are under your tongue
00:49:13.42\00:49:15.02
and the
fragrance of your garments
00:49:15.05\00:49:16.32
is like the
fragrance of Lebanon.
00:49:16.35\00:49:18.45
A garden enclosed,
is my sister, my spouse,
00:49:18.49\00:49:21.62
a spring shut up,
a fountain sealed."
00:49:21.66\00:49:23.69
And by the way,
00:49:23.73\00:49:24.73
this is symbolically
speaking of the bride
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.49
presenting her
virginity before her groom.
00:49:26.53\00:49:30.03
Now that's another subject
00:49:30.07\00:49:31.83
if you've already lost
that part of your experience
00:49:31.87\00:49:34.60
and you haven't found
that special person to marry,
00:49:34.64\00:49:37.61
God can still make
you a spiritual virgin.
00:49:37.64\00:49:40.21
"Your plants are an
orchard of pomegranates
00:49:40.24\00:49:42.04
with pleasant
fruits, and fragrant henna
00:49:42.08\00:49:44.01
and spikenard.
00:49:44.05\00:49:44.98
Spikenard and
saffron, calamus and cinnamon,
00:49:45.01\00:49:47.22
with all the
trees of frankincense,
00:49:47.25\00:49:48.85
myrrh and aloes,
with all the chief spices.
00:49:48.88\00:49:52.29
A fountain of gardens,
a well of living waters,
00:49:52.32\00:49:54.96
and streams from Lebanon."
00:49:54.99\00:49:57.83
And then we have the Shulamite
00:49:57.86\00:49:58.99
that's the bride who
comes from the town of Shulem.
00:49:59.03\00:50:01.96
"Awake, O North
wind, and come, O south!
00:50:02.00\00:50:04.37
Blow upon my garden
that it spices may flow out.
00:50:04.40\00:50:08.17
Let my beloved
come to his garden
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.34
and eat its pleasant fruits."
00:50:10.37\00:50:12.41
And then the groom responds.
00:50:12.44\00:50:13.44
"I have come to my
garden, my sister, my spouse.
00:50:13.48\00:50:16.04
I have gathered my
myrrh with my spice.
00:50:16.08\00:50:18.75
I have eaten my
honeycomb with my honey.
00:50:18.78\00:50:20.88
I have drunk my
wine with my milk."
00:50:20.92\00:50:24.45
Is it just me or is
it getting hot here?
00:50:24.49\00:50:26.32
The groom has
arrived to the Promised Land.
00:50:32.06\00:50:35.13
Okay, he's using the language
of milk and honey, is he not?
00:50:35.16\00:50:39.87
All right.
00:50:39.90\00:50:40.90
So this is
beautiful love romance
00:50:40.94\00:50:43.67
that God has designed for us
00:50:43.71\00:50:44.94
to be able to experience
as a husband and as a wife.
00:50:44.97\00:50:48.44
This not only speaks
of having a good romantic
00:50:48.48\00:50:51.41
physical
relationship with each other,
00:50:51.45\00:50:52.88
one that brings happiness
and joy and bonding of hearts.
00:50:52.91\00:50:56.35
Of course, but
it's also something
00:50:56.38\00:50:57.62
that is based on
pure love, godly love.
00:50:57.65\00:51:01.06
And that's important for
us to understand as well.
00:51:01.09\00:51:03.36
Well, we're wrapping up
and I think we're out of time.
00:51:05.46\00:51:07.86
And, of course, there's
always some other good stuff
00:51:07.93\00:51:09.96
that I was looking forward
to be able to share with you.
00:51:10.00\00:51:14.34
And, of course, one of those
as it points out on Monday,
00:51:14.37\00:51:17.21
and I'm just going
to close with that.
00:51:17.24\00:51:19.41
And in fact, I'm
gonna ask our volunteer,
00:51:19.44\00:51:21.34
if they can read and
00:51:21.38\00:51:22.48
we can see if we can fit
that into this program or not,
00:51:22.51\00:51:24.71
we'll see.
00:51:24.75\00:51:25.95
Go ahead, please.
00:51:25.98\00:51:27.88
"His mouth is most sweet.
00:51:27.92\00:51:30.19
Yes, he altogether lovely.
00:51:30.22\00:51:34.56
This is my beloved.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.09
And this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem."
00:51:36.12\00:51:39.46
Okay, so what is
the spouse refer to?
00:51:39.49\00:51:45.03
I think it's her as
spouse, I mean as a friend,
00:51:45.07\00:51:50.81
and too often as
husband and wife, we lose that.
00:51:50.84\00:51:54.04
And we think well,
it's just about the romance,
00:51:54.08\00:51:55.48
it's sharing the bills and
sharing the kids and so on,
00:51:55.51\00:51:58.28
and we forget
00:51:58.31\00:51:59.51
and we missed one of
the main points of marriage
00:51:59.55\00:52:01.98
and that God has
called the husband
00:52:02.02\00:52:03.72
to be the best
friend of the wife.
00:52:03.75\00:52:05.85
And for all husbands out there,
00:52:05.89\00:52:07.39
your wife should
be your best friend,
00:52:07.42\00:52:09.29
your closest companion.
00:52:09.32\00:52:10.99
If you're spending more time
00:52:11.03\00:52:12.46
with friends
outside of your marriage
00:52:12.49\00:52:14.96
of the same gender
00:52:15.00\00:52:16.33
rather than with your
spouse, that's a problem.
00:52:16.36\00:52:20.14
You know why?
00:52:20.17\00:52:21.17
Because God has called
00:52:21.20\00:52:22.24
your closest and
most constant companion
00:52:22.27\00:52:24.44
to be your spouse.
00:52:24.47\00:52:26.31
"Well, I don't like my spouse!"
00:52:26.34\00:52:28.91
Well, then you
have a bigger problem.
00:52:28.94\00:52:30.85
And you need to
address both of those problems,
00:52:30.88\00:52:32.61
if you want happiness in
your marriage and in your life.
00:52:32.65\00:52:34.78
And so we'll leave it at that.
00:52:34.82\00:52:36.08
We are just so thankful that
you've joined us here today.
00:52:36.12\00:52:38.69
I know that this has
been a unique subject,
00:52:38.72\00:52:41.66
we're happy that we
could study it here together.
00:52:41.69\00:52:43.63
We look forward to
seeing you next week
00:52:43.66\00:52:45.03
and God bless you.
00:52:45.06\00:52:46.09
Until then we love you.
00:52:46.13\00:52:47.13
Don't forget to request
00:52:48.50\00:52:49.53
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00:53:38.78\00:53:42.15
We are all part
of the family of God.
00:54:11.58\00:54:14.18
This is what you heard
each of our friends just say.
00:54:14.22\00:54:16.99
Hi, we're here
in Papua New Guinea,
00:54:17.02\00:54:18.95
where the people speak
over 800 different languages.
00:54:18.99\00:54:22.62
In fact, this is the
most language diverse place
00:54:22.66\00:54:25.86
in the entire world.
00:54:25.89\00:54:27.30
The reason for that
00:54:27.30\00:54:28.56
is because of the
topography of this country
00:54:28.60\00:54:31.03
with the tall
mountains, steep ravines,
00:54:31.07\00:54:33.64
deep gorges and rushing rivers.
00:54:33.67\00:54:35.60
Over the millennia, as
the country was settled,
00:54:35.64\00:54:38.11
the different people and tribes
were isolated by the terrain.
00:54:38.14\00:54:41.81
So they evolved their
own very distinct languages.
00:54:41.84\00:54:45.75
When people cannot communicate,
00:54:45.78\00:54:47.18
sometimes it
causes misunderstandings.
00:54:47.22\00:54:49.52
So the people in New
Guinea have overcome that
00:54:49.55\00:54:51.95
by speaking a
common Pidgin English.
00:54:51.99\00:54:54.49
It's a very beautiful dialect
that combines some German,
00:54:57.66\00:55:00.56
some English words and
some of the tribal words.
00:55:00.60\00:55:03.16
You can read in the
Bible in Genesis Chapter 11,
00:55:08.84\00:55:11.31
there was once a time
00:55:11.34\00:55:12.37
when all the world
spoke one language.
00:55:12.41\00:55:14.98
But then men began
to rebel against God.
00:55:15.01\00:55:17.25
They started to
build a tower as a monument
00:55:17.28\00:55:19.88
to manmade
salvation and manmade worship.
00:55:19.91\00:55:23.05
It's better known
as the Tower of Babel.
00:55:23.08\00:55:25.45
Matter of fact, after
God confused the languages,
00:55:25.49\00:55:28.36
people started babbling,
which is where we get the word.
00:55:28.39\00:55:31.46
For thousands of years,
00:55:31.49\00:55:32.63
this confusion of tongues
00:55:32.66\00:55:34.13
caused all kinds of
problems in communication,
00:55:34.20\00:55:36.77
even wars were fought.
00:55:36.80\00:55:38.57
But then, in Acts
Chapter 2, in the upper room,
00:55:38.60\00:55:41.44
God did something extraordinary
00:55:41.47\00:55:43.27
to reverse the curse of
the confusion of tongues.
00:55:43.30\00:55:46.88
He poured out the Holy Spirit,
and Jesus did what He promised.
00:55:46.91\00:55:50.25
He said, "You will
speak with other tongues,"
00:55:50.28\00:55:53.11
Mark Chapter 16.
00:55:53.15\00:55:54.55
The disciples
were supernaturally
00:55:54.58\00:55:56.45
given the ability
00:55:56.48\00:55:57.59
to communicate in
many different tongues
00:55:57.62\00:56:00.09
the good news of God.
00:56:00.12\00:56:01.52
Throughout the Bible, we
learn that sin causes division.
00:56:01.56\00:56:04.63
On the other hand, God is love.
00:56:04.66\00:56:06.90
And so when we're
filled with the Spirit of God,
00:56:06.93\00:56:09.23
we naturally have
love for one another.
00:56:09.26\00:56:11.33
This is the big
command in the Bible
00:56:11.37\00:56:12.97
that we should love one another.
00:56:13.00\00:56:14.87
Jesus' prayer for
His people in John 17 is,
00:56:14.90\00:56:17.74
"Father, that they might
love each other and be one,
00:56:17.77\00:56:20.64
even as we are one."
00:56:20.68\00:56:22.21
Paul says in the
Book of 1 Corinthians,
00:56:22.24\00:56:24.75
"That we're
many different parts,
00:56:24.78\00:56:26.38
but we are one body."
00:56:26.41\00:56:28.28
And so this is God's
plan that we might all be one
00:56:28.32\00:56:31.72
and speak the
language of heaven.
00:56:31.75\00:56:33.96
So if we have the Spirit of God,
00:56:33.99\00:56:35.59
we will have the love of God
00:56:35.62\00:56:37.23
because love is
the language of God
00:56:37.26\00:56:39.59
and we will all
be of one family.
00:56:39.63\00:56:42.16
The heavens were parted for him.
00:57:34.82\00:57:36.58
The Holy Spirit came down.
00:57:36.62\00:57:38.02
This is what God
wants you to experience.
00:57:38.05\00:57:40.59
You come to Christ,
00:57:40.62\00:57:41.96
your sins are washed
away, you become a new creature.
00:57:41.99\00:57:45.06
It's a land of beginning again,
00:57:45.09\00:57:46.63
and how many of you
wish you can restart.
00:57:46.66\00:57:50.50
"For I was hungry
00:57:50.53\00:57:52.17
and you gave Me
something to eat.
00:57:52.20\00:57:55.27
Inasmuch you shall do it
to one of the least of these,
00:57:55.30\00:57:58.17
My brethren, you did it to Me."
00:57:58.21\00:58:00.88